Weekend of terror

POLICE have issued an urgent call for information after a horror weekend in Griffith that saw an elderly man attacked, a middle-aged couple assaulted and robbed, a home invaded by armed men and a car stolen and set alight.

Griffith Police are investigating a possible link between the three violent incidents that occurred within hours of each other on Friday night, and have not ruled out the possibility they may be related.

About 9pm on Friday, a 66-year-old man was using the fitness equipment at City Park when three men approached and attacked him.

The victim, an Austrian national, was treated at Griffith Base Hospital for minor injuries.

Just 15 minutes later, a 57-year-old Griffith man and his wife were walking along Kookoora Street after a night out when they were approached by three men.

The man was assaulted and one of the offenders snatched his wife’s bag before the gang ran off.

The victim sustained a laceration to his face and was treated at the scene by Griffith paramedics.

Then, in the early hours of Saturday morning, three Taiwanese nationals were woken by two men brandishing knives who had broken into their Kookora Street home.

After threatening the victims, the men ransacked the house before loading the stolen property into one of the resident’s cars and left the scene.

Police and fire authorities were called to Scenic Hill in the early hours of Saturday morning to find the stolen car fully alight.

One resident woke to find emergency services outside her house attempting to extinguish the blaze and said Scenic Hill nearly went “up in flames”.

Then yesterday morning, police were called to a Caltex service station on Banna Avenue after a male attendant was assaulted. A car pulled up at 11am and when the attendant went to assist, the driver hit him.

The driver then filled the car with fuel and the passenger paid.

Police will be reviewing CCTV footage in an effort to identify the culprit.

Griffith Police Inspector Anthony Reneker has called on anyone with information to come forward immediately.

“The incidents were quite violent and it is only luck that no victims were seriously injured,” Inspector Reneker said.

Please contact Griffith Police Station on 6969 4299 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 if you have information on these crimes.

investigations: Police attend Caltex Service Station on Sunday morning after an attendant was assaulted.